Imperfectly Perfect
by Really Big Hat
Summary: There's two days until the dance, and Rachel is the nerd of the century. Better then it sounds. I don't own KND! Winner of my poll!


**This is something I've been working on for quite a while, and I hope you guys like it.**

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><p>I sat at my desk, doodling some unknown picture during science class.<p>

"Miss McKenzie, can you tell me what kind of weather a cold front brings?" asked the teacher.

My head shot up. "42!" I called out. Everybody began to laugh.

Mr. Stommeling sighed. "No Rachel. It would be right though if we were in math. Stay focused." I sighed in embarrassment. As the bell rung, I quickly gathered all my clutter and hurried out of the class room. I threw my books into my locker as Nigel walked up to me.

"Hey Rach." he said, grinning, showing his perfect white teeth.

"Hey Nigel." I said, kind of blandly.

"Science again?" he asked.

"Not only that, but Mr. Stommeling totally embarrassed me today in class."

"Well, I'm sorry."

I shrugged. "Ah, it's alright." I closed my locker, seeing a flyer hanging on the wall about the school dance that was tomorrow. "Hey Nigel, would you want to go to the-" I was cut off by someone bounding up to Nigel.

"Hi Nigie!" said an annoying voice that could only belong to Lizzie, Nigel's girlfriend. "Hi Rachel.

"Hey Lizzie." Nigel said, kind of irritated while I just waved

"Come on Nigie, let's go to lunch." she said, dragging him away. I sighed as I headed to the cafeteria, alone.

*!*!*!*!*

"Have you guys gotten a date to the dance?" asked Hoagie at lunch.

"No way! If I'm goin' with any cruddy girl, the girl's gonna ask me!" Wally exclaimed, his eyes flickering to Kuki's direction.

"I don't have a date yet, but I have someone in mind."

Wally almost choked on his sandwich. "R-really?" he stuttered. "Wh-who is it?"

Kuki smiled. "It's a surprise, silly!"

"What about you Abby. Do you have one?" Hoagie asked, trying to hid his anticipation.

"You know that if a boy wants to go to the dance with Abby, he should ask her!" Hoagie smirked to himself. _Good to know. _

"What about you Rachel?" Abby asked, but I was too busy looking at Nigel and his _girlfriend. _"Rachel?" she asked again.

I snapped out of my trance. "Huh!" I exclaimed.

"Do you have a date to the dance?" Abby asked for the second time. "No." I said, trying to hide my sadness, but Abby saw past it.

"Girl, you just wait. Nigel will love you."

My eyes grew huge. "Nigel! Who said anything about Nigel?"

Abby smirked. "Oh come on girl. You know you can't hide anything from Abby. Besides, we all know."

Hoagie nodded. "She's right. Everyone at the table knows."

"Oh come on! A girl doesn't need a BOY to keep her happy!" Fanny exclaimed, to which Patton had smacked her on the arm. Patton Drilvosky was the only boy to actually hit or stand up to Fanny Fulbright. Probably the main reason was because they were dating.

"Have you guys ever wondered why cookies are called cookies when they're baked? Shouldn't they be called bakies?" Kuki asked suddenly as she studied her chocolate chip cookie.

"I don't know. Maybe a man named Herbert J. Cookie invented them?"

"No they were an accident and they were made by a girl." Fanny butted in.

"You think girls did everything in history." retorted Patton, only to get another punch in the forearm. He held his arm tight. "Sometimes." he muttered." I wonder why I even love you." he teased with a smile.

"Because of the way she's so stubborn, ill tempered, bossy, loud mouthed, sexist towards boys, not to mention she has great hair and can be a good listener to yolk. Yea, you said this many times before." retorted Hoagie with a raised eyebrow.

"Awww…" was all Fanny could say as she gave him a quick hug.

"So Fanny, Abby, Rachel, wanna meet by the tree house tomorrow so we all can get ready together?" Kuki asked, finally opening up her cookie instead of studying it.

"Sure." Abby said, not thinking much of it.

"Sure, just wait until Patton sees me at the dance."

Patton had a confused look on his face. "Hey, I never agreed to go!"

Fanny looked at Patton in shock. "What?" she exclaimed.

"I'm only kidding Fanny. I plan on going, and I plan on taking the most beautiful girl at school."

Fanny looked down. "Alexis?" she asked sadly.

Patton snorted. "No, I'm talking about my little Fanny-pants." he said, poking the Scottish girl in the stomach.

"I am not little!" she defended.

I sighed. I wish I was like Fanny, happily having a boy friend who you cared for and vise versa. Though Patton and Fanny may not show it, most of the time, I could see care and love underneath all those teases and punches. Of course, I knew that Patton was Fanny's first boyfriend, but he was not her first love. Yes, back in the KND, she fell in love with a boy named Numbuh 19th Century, but he was technically over the age of 13 and he had to be decommissioned and Fanny never saw him again. Me being Fanny's best friends, she told me things that she never told anyone else, like that she would hide her heartbreak by bossing around boys more then she usually did, and that every time she would eat cake our ice-cream, she would get this sad feeling in her guts, Around the time she joined the TND, maybe before, she told me about how those feelings were dieing off, and whenever she was around Patton, she would the this feeling of nervousness and her palms would get sweaty and her face would feel like it was burning. I simply told her it was love, to which she replied with a loud "Ew! How could I love another boy! Especially PATTON!" I simply sighed and told her that love was an amazing thing and that you shouldn't run from it, wand included with a long speech. Fanny had then asked me how I knew so much about love, and then if I loved someone. I replied with. "Yes, a soldier." and then I turned around with a sad expression on my face.

I was awoken from my thoughts when the loud, shrill bell sounded and ran in my ears.

After school, Nigel caught up with me. "Hey Rach." I smiled as I shoved my clarinet, the dorkiest instrument alive, into the bowels of my locker.

"Hey soldier." About on time, Lizzie walked up to us.

"Hey Nigie!" she greeted us with a big grin.

She obviously didn't remember me from our childhood, either that or didn't recognize me. I wouldn't blame her. I no have glasses, braces, and my face changed a little. Or maybe just she just didn't remember me, or that she didn't get a good look at me when Nigel rod off with me after the Sweater of Sweetness. There's a ton of possibilities.

"So Nigie, I have some cheerleading stuff to do, so I won't be able to walk home with you."

"Okay. I'll just walk home with Rachel." he flashed me another perfect smile that mead me want to faint.

"Great! See ya!" she gave him a quick peck on the cheek and pranced away. "So, do you want to walk home with me?" he asked, the smile still curved around on his lips.

"Do I have a choice?" I teased.

Nigel chuckled. "Nope." as soon as I gathered all my things and sung my backpack on my back, Nigel tugged me away.

*!*!*!*!*

"I got kicked out of choir." Nigel said randomly.

"Why?" I asked instantly.

"The teacher said I sung badly and that I was ruining the sound."

I chuckled. "Well, that wasn't very nice." I said smiling, showing my turquoise-blue and orange braces.

"It's okay. I know I sing like a dieing weasel."

I shrugged "I think your singing's beautiful." I flashed him another smile.

"Really?" he asked, looking at me.

"Honest." He smiled as we continued to walk.

When we reached my house, Harvey was already there, waiting for me on the porch. "What took you so long?" He asked. I swear, that kid was overly protective of me. "Did you some how make this dork your boyfriend?"

I sighed. "No Harvey." I said irritated. "We were just waling home together because Lizzie's at cheerleading."

Harvey came off of the porch and walked to us. He looked Nigel right in the eye, of course having to strain his neck up. "So." he begun. "Why don't you like my sister?"

My eyes went huge. "Harvey!" I scolded.

"Um… well, I…"

"You know, I've read her diary, and she wrote that-"

I cupped my hand over his mouth. "That's enough Harvey!"

Harvey began to snake and then violently slapped my hand away. "DON'T TOUCH ME!" he yelled.

I pointed to the house. "Then go back inside." Harvey gave one last hate-glare tat Nigel, the walked into the house. "Sorry." I apologized.

Nigel shrugged. "It's okay. I'm quite used to it by now."

My dad came out of the house. "Rachel, come on!" he called.

I sighed. "I gotta go. See ya around soldier." I said and slumped towards the house.

"See ya Rach!" Nigel called back. I sighed again sadly before closing the door.

*!*!*!*!*

The next morning was cold and rainy. The sound of the rain hitting the concrete was depressing, but soothing in a way. A gust of cold air made me shiver as I approached Nigel. Man I wish I brought an umbrella, or coat.

"Hey Nigel." I greeted, my teeth chattering.

"Hey, are you cold?" He asked, his pure, crystal blue eyes rising above his raven black sunglasses in concern.

"N-no." I chattered.

Nigel rolled his eyes playfully as he unzipped his coat and handed it to me.

"Aren't you going to get cold?" I asked as he placed the red windbreaker on my shoulders, sheltering from the cold.

"Nah, the cold doesn't really bother me, much." He smiled. I begun to feel woozy again.

"Thanks." I smiled a toothy grin, showing my braces again.

"I love your races." he complimented.

"Ah… thanks…" I let a small smile escape my lips.

"Look at lover boy." Hoagie teased as he approached us with Abby.

"Oh, Abby senses somethin' goin' on here." Abby grinned slyly.

"Guys stop. Rachel's just a friend. Besides, I have a girlfriend." My sprites fell a little at the mention of Nigel's current girlfriend. I sighed silently. Be real Rachel. Nigel will never love a looser like you. He's got a girlfriend, a perfect one who's the caption of cheer the cheerleading squad and who as perfect teeth and the perfect smile. And the most important, the perfect guy.

"Yea, _just_ a friend." Abby said, stressing the word 'just'. Just than, Wally and Kuki walked up at us.

"Hey guys!" Greeted Kuki more perky then she usually was.

"Geez girl. What's gotten you so giddy?" Abby asked.

"I'll tell you latter. Hey look! It's Fanny and Patton!" exclaimed the Asian girl, pointing to a familiar red-head and a dark haired boy.

"Hey guys. " Patton smiled, holding an umbrella.

"Oh good, you brought shelter!" Hoagie said, running under the umbrella with the couple.

"I like the rain." I said. "It's fun to draw." Nigel just smile at me as the bus approached. We all scattered on the bus. Wally sat with Kuki, Hoagie sat with Abby, Patton sat alone and Fanny sat with me, and Nigel took a seat next to Lizzie… again.

I silently sighed as I pulled out my sketch pad, and began sketching a random person, presumably a girl, on a hill and the rain fiercely coming down, leaving the person soaked and crying. When I fin ished the basic outline, I added in some detail such as shading and other things.

I got the feeling that I was being watched. I looked up, and there was Nigel, standing in the seat in front of mine, looking down at me. "Hey Rach." he smiled, again giving me that sick feeling.

"Hi soldier."

"What'cha drawing?" He asked.

I shrugged. "I dunno. I just kind of…." I searched for the word. "appeared."

Nigel nodded. "Interesting." there was a short silence. "Hey, do you have a date to the dance yet?"

He asked, catching me off guard. I shook my head. "No."

"No one asked you?"

"Who would?" I asked

"I mean look at me."

Nigel shrugged. "What's so bad about you?" he asked. I smiled on the inside. May he did like me…?

"Just forget it." I muttered as the bus came to a sudden stop. We all poured out of the vehicle.

School was mostly boring as usual. Nigel and I passed notes again in math like we usually do, I fell asleep again in science, got another F on a test in Reading, wrote a suckish story in language arts, and watched a documentary about the fall of Rome in Social Studies. The only thing I enjoyed was art and band where I got praised for my American Dream solo and other on one of my paintings.

Finally, when the day was over, I met Abby, Fanny, and Kuki by the front door and headed to the treehouse.

"Come on out Rachel!" I heard Kuki shout. I was in the bathroom, my dress on. I looked stupid.

"No." I protested.

"Please? I'm sure you look great."

I shook my head even though they couldn't see me. "NO way!" I look like some stupid girly-girl!"

"Girl, if you don't come out in the next 3 seconds, I'm gonna pry open the door and force ya out!" Fanny shouted.

My eyes widened. "I'm coming!" I shouted back. A few seconds later, I came out. I was wearing a light blue dress with eve lighter blue ruffles in the front, and my hair was don in a bun with a few strands of hair hanging down on each side of my face.

"Wow Rachel." Kuki awed. "You look beautiful."

I smiled a bit. "You really think so?" I asked.

"Positive." Kuki wore her long black hair down and she wore a light green dress with straps that tied up around the neck. Abby wore a simple dark blue strapless dress with a red hem at the bottom with her don done up similar to mine. Fanny wore a dark green dress with orange straps and an orange ribbon that tied around her waist and her hair was wavy, not fizzy like she usually wore it.

"You guys look great too." I complimented.

"There's just one more thing to do." Kuki mutters as she took off my glasses.

"But I can't see now." I said helplessly.

"Don't worry, we picked up your contacts." Kuki said, handing them to me. "Now go put them on." the Japanese girl shoved me into the bathroom again. When I came out, Kuki hurried me to the door, fallowed by Abby and Fanny.

At the dance, some (most) of the girls swooned over their date or date-to-be, while other girls stayed on the sidelines or dancing in their groups. As soon as we entered the gym building, Kuki was the first to spot her date (obviously Wally in a tux) Fanny next left, and that only left me and Abby who was waiting for Hoagie to show up.

I sighed as I made my way to the snack table. I poured myself a glass of fruit punch and sipped it quietly. "I can't believe I'm doing this." I muttered in amusement. I scanned the dance floor and turned my ears. A familiar fast soon was booming form the speakers and couples and groups danced wilding.

I jumped slightly as I felt a hand on my shoulder. I turned around swiftly, only to see Nigel in a black tux and Lizzie in in some dramatic flaunty, poofy dress. I silently rolled my eyes, the smiled at Nigel.

"Oh, hey Nigel." I greeted.

"Hey Rachel." the Brit returned.

"You look nice, Rachel. I love your dress. And no glasses!" Lizzie complimented.

I smiled awkwardly." Thanks, I like yours…"

Lizzie smiled an examined her dress. "It is nice isn't it? At first I was a little worried that it would be to much, but then I was like…" I zoned out then, loosing myself in Nigel's blue eyes behind his black glasses. My thoughts were broken by Nigel speaking.

"You look nice. I like how hour braces match your dress." I smiled, revealing them. Nigel couldn't help but laugh.

"Oh Rachel, I'm so glad you came. Every girl should go the dances!" Lizzie beamed. "Who's your date?" I looked at the girl and shrugged.

"Don't have one." Lizzie frowned.

"I'm sorry."

"It's okay." Suddenly, a slow song played, and Lizzie drug Nigel to the dance floor. If Lizzie didn't like Nigel, we would be pretty good friends. I sighed in sadness as I observed the dance floor, seeing every couple dance closely. Some looking deeply in each others eyes, others resting their heads on their date's shoulder. The entire gym was quiet with the exception of the much.

I silently made my way to the door and through the court yard, only to sit on a stone bench. I sighed and looked up at the sky, admiring the moon and stars. I chucked led. I you knew what you were looking for and you looked really carefully, you could faintly see the Moonbase.

Time passed, who knows how much time, until I heard a pair of feet come towards me. I looked down from the sky, only to see Nigel.

"Hey."

"Hey, what are you doing out here?"

I shrugged. "I don't have a date. And all my friends have dates. So, I decided why not sit out here and look at the stars."

Nigel took a couple steps forwards and sat on the bench next to me. "Can I sit with you?"

I looked at him. "What about Lizzie?" I asked, trying to hid my disgust at the bald Brit's girlfriend.

"Oh.. I … um… broke up with her."

My eyes latterly bulged out of my head. "Why?" I tried my best to hid my excitement. I thought this opportunity only came once in a life time, but it came again!

"Cuz she was to clingy and… there's someone else."

I hung my head slightly, disappointed. "Oh… who….?" Nigel chuckled. "You're chuckling, why are you chuckling?"

Nigel looked at his feet then looked at me. "It's uh… you."

Oh wow, did I just hear him right? "But why? Lizzie's so perfect, and I'm so…." I searched for the right words." …not…" The music form the gym played a slow song loud enough to hear from here. Nigel got up and swayed slowly to the music, only to be fallowed by handing out his had to me. I blushed and took it.

"Exactly. Let's count the ways, shall we?" Nigel twirled to me match the music. "You have braces, you wear glasses, you space out, you're a work-o-holic, you hate school dances, you're allergic to nuts, you sit in your room watching cartoons every Friday and Saturday night, you snort when you laugh, you don't have that 'super model' shape, unlike most people you love thunderstorms, and you're what people call 'abnormal.'" I frowned upon hearing my crush point out my flaws. "But that's what I love about you." Nigel twirled me again, only to come face-to-face with him. The next thing I next was that my face was smooshed against his. "You're imperfectly perfect." He whispered as we broke away.

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><p><strong>Hope you guys liked reading it as much as I liked writing it. Sorry if the ending seams rushed... I was working on it for a couple of weeks and wanted to get it done.<strong>

**RBH signing off!**

**R&R please!**


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